Hostess Hasty Notes...

 

Bateaux Mouches Scarf knit in a grey yarn by Drops.

Alpaca and Silk

It is super soft with a nice drape...

very cozy and warm for these colder days.

Mornings this week have been very icy...

A delightful week of Yoga

Yoga for Osteoporosis

Yoga for Balance

Yoga For Hips

Scraping the ice off the car before heading off to Yoga Class. 

I am focused on the new classes 

which are improving my hip alignment and strengthening the muscles that support the hip.

Training me to be in balance 

with a goal of stability and the ability to avoid future falls.

All of this is taking up time and energy and are an investment in my health.

My flexibility is not what it was prior to COVID.

My goal is to

get back as much flexibility as possible.

My instructor says it takes time.

Do you practice Yoga?

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Marshalls dressing room selfie...

I LOVE denim!

 So when I spied this soft cozy fleecy knit denim blue shirt...

I pounced and have been wearing it on rotation these past few weeks.

I am loving this new Sonsie skincare.

The redness from my rosacea has completely calmed down.

If you want to try it please use the 15% discount code...

https://www.sonsieskin.com/LESLIE65651

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to shoot me an email.

Joanne from Steveston came to Victoria for a few days.

We got together for an afternoon of fun.

Shopped thrift and consignment shops 

visited the Vic West Market on Catherine Street

before we had lunch at The Snug in The Oak Bay Beach Hotel.

The Market has a very European Vibe...

lots of interesting food items and the displays are works of art!

Am knitting another Bateaux Mouches Scarf/Shawl

Using Bamboo Yarn in white for Summer.

Feels lovely in the hand...soft and light.

Soup for lunch at Pure Vanilla...

red lentil with a spicy tang.

New LG Washer and Dryer Set

Our former set were 

15 years old and the washer ground to a halt on Saturday.

I had to rinse the entire load in the bathtub 

before wringing the clothes by hand to dry!

Our laundry room is bright and cheerful...

I can look out onto the Humble Bungalow Garden while working downstairs.

There are some rustic touches in the minimalist decor.

Simple

but so important!

There are Joys in clean clothes and freshly ironed cottons.

I spend a LOT of time doing laundry!

Another sourdough Boule has baked...

"Alexandra Cooks" basic sourdough recipe is my favourite.

After making bread for several years now I can do it with my eyes closed :-))

The flavour is amazing and the bread is easy to make.

Do you bake your own bread?

White Orchid

Do you shop local?

Think we need to help these shops stay open and keep their business thriving.

So many small businesses are struggling to survive and many are already shut down.

Buying Power is in our hands

(and wallets)

we have choices

 through our decisions of 

who we buy from...

where we spend our money

If we

consciously

 support companies run and owned by women.

We are empowering them to continue...

Just like the

Cordova Candle Company who are local and make lovely scented soy candles.

I light mine every morning while I sip my coffee and read my socials.

What are your favourite local shops?

Are you a repeat customer?

Do you know the women behind the business?

Speaking of Socials...

several friends have quit Facebook

others are taking a 3 week break from all online platforms.

Are you considering leaving any of your social memberships?

We have the power to make changes...

it is up to each of us to decide what is right.

What is new with you?

Are you worried about the state of the world?

Have you, like me, had to limit your exposure to the news?

I do not go down rabbit holes...

I act locally...making changes where I can see the results of those efforts.

I bake, I knit, I drink tea, I read, I walk, I go to Yoga, I live an honest and simple life.

~ STAY SAFE ~

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog

Hostess

XO

Week of Fun!

My husband and I hopped on a small BC Ferry and went to Salt Spring Island.

Weekdays Monday through Thursday seniors travel for free.

We only had to pay for the car...so an inexpensive day to travel.

There are numerous galleries, gift, clothing and thrift shops.

In the summer on Saturday, they have a huge open air Market.

I found this soft Gap top at the thrift shop behind the Ganges Pharmasave.

They carry a wide variety of clothing and accessories.

Their vintage and boutique rack was amazing!

Most of the items were in small sizes.

After I went to Pod Contemporary, a favourite of mine...

I love their clothing and some of it is quite expensive.

Very carefully curated and the displays are wonderful.

It was very busy when I visited.

Lots of women having fun shopping.

A basic white tee top.

Nubby texture and a great looser style that flatters amd skims my midsection.

We had lunch at Moby's pub with a view of Ganges Harbour.

My salad was enormous! 

I managed to eat the chicken, avocado and maybe half of the greens.

Hubby had a rich short rib ramen dish...

I had a wee nibble and WOW!

So good.

We really enjoy avocados...

they have been on sale lately at the Root Cellar in the Cook Street Village shop.

For a quick lunch 

I will make avocado toast using the homemade sourdough bread that I make weekly.

I drizzle the avocado with some Worcestershire sauce 

top it off with a fresh grind of Pink Himalayan salt.

Nutritious, delicious with high fibre and healthy heart fats.

Do you like avocados?

I made a "bowl" of food for lunch.

It could have been healthier if I had served brown rice or quinoa...

I love these "bowls" of food that local restaurants are serving.

My grandmother used to put out a variety of things for lunches at her home.

Cut up fresh fruits, veggies, cheese, pickles, sliced meats

served with her freshly baked homemade bread.

I loved the smell of her kitchen...

bread baking, soups or stews simmering on the stove.

Such fond memories...

Went for a walk at Butchart Gardens with my BFF.

She brings her dog and we have a look at all the new flowers and enjoy a coffee or tea on the patio after our walk.

Love these double daffodils (Narcissus)

must try to get bulbs in the fall when the shops still have some in stock!

In other news..

Feeling encouraged that my hair is growing longer 

I want to put it up for aqua fit class so it doesn't keep falling into my eyes!

Most of the participants wear updos or have short haircuts.

With a minimalist wardrobe I rely on accessories.

Here I am wearing a whisper thin huge scarf (sarong size)

Folded it into a triangle wrapped it around my neck front to back

brought the ends in front

tied them underneath the front of the scarf.

Simple and it adds colour and interest to my old vintage faded denim shirt.

Pearls help to elevate the look...

wearing Michael Kors black pants.

New from Marshalls...tag said retail was $165 and I paid $49.99

They have a texture and gold button details at an angle near the waist and hips.

They are so comfy and way nicer than my old Yoga pants!

Am reading The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis.

He writes with a lot of humour.

I have read two of his books and can recommend them.

My week hit a snag on Sunday when we went to the beach at Cordova Bay.

 We parked and tried a new beach access...

it went sideways in a heartbeat.

The bottom of the concrete steps said BIG DROP.

I looked and thought I would step down slowly and carefully...

well I twisted my ankle and fell on the rocks!

I heard a snap.

People nearby came to help.

(I was so embarrassed)

I have twisted my ankle and am hobbling.

I thought it may have been broken but it appears to be a snapped ligament.

I am taking it easy and avoiding stairs.

Have been able to cook and bake as it only involves standing for short periods of time.

Knit a cotton dishcloth and am reading my book.

Feeling like a prize idiot...

thinking I was a younger agile girl instead of an aging senior lady.

Well I have learned a valuable lesson.

Thankful that my injuries were not worse.

So tell me, have you had any mishaps lately?

How have you handled them?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

August Snippets...keeping cool, culling, a favourite scarf, hydrangeas and a fabulous book

Culling is happening here in The Humble Bungalow...

no closet, cupboard, or cranny is safe!

I've given away a LOT of things that we never use and have been donating

various items of clothing and this week I attacked the scarf drawer with gusto!

The Hermes scarves are safely tucked away in their iconic orange boxes.

There are a few scarves left to do the work of many...

one of the scarves that was never in jeopardy

is this linen multi toned scarf.

~ long whisper soft lightweight linen ~

a lovely scarf to wear as a wrap

or wrapped several times around my neck.

~ great drape with an interesting texture ~

The scarves that were culled made their way to the local WIN shop

a charity that assists Women In Need (WIN)

~ OOTD ~

My Uniform

Rough Linen Apron

Akoya Pearls

black Yoga pants

white Eileen Fisher linen top

I've been busy trying to get on top of the cleaning here...

the windows ended up being streaky and I reached out on Instagram for tips.

Several great tips and ideas were forthcoming...

I headed out for a microfibre window cleaning cloth (bought 3) and a squeegee...

windows are now sparkling clean!

Annabelle Hydrangeas

big frothy blooms.

Hope that you are doing well and enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

We are finding the heat a wee bit too HOT!

Every afternoon I find a cool spot to sit and sip some tea or lemonade

inevitably a book finds it way into my hands!

Am enjoying this book SO MUCH!

I read his first book The Rules of Civility many years ago and loved it.

His newest, The Lincoln Highway, is on my TBR stack.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Tea time, a french chic book and a drug store purchase...

Afternoon Tea in The Humble Bungalow

Canterbury pattern cup and saucer 

one of several patterns of tea cups that I use for my afternoon tea ritual.

I am on the lookout for a spectacular ornately decorated floral cup and saucer.

Reading an inspirational French themed book by Tish Jett

I read and enjoyed her first book Forever Chic.

A lovely tea from our local Tea Merchant Murchies

Paris Afternoon is sweet and tastes like a decadent dessert.

My last mascara was gloppy and had not performed that well.

Frustrated, 

but on a mission

 off I went to the local pharmacy to buy a new mascara.

Always one to seek advice from the knowledgeable gals in the cosmetics department 

I asked the clerk what she uses and could recommend.

Marcelle was her hands down winning performer.

 She handed me the gift pack that included a Kohl eye pencil.

This pencil is SO soft and easily lines the eye without tugging or pulling.

It is rather like Velvet Gel.

So now I am regularly defining my eyes with Kohl 

and they are the focus when wearing my mask.

New Year Goal

walk a minimum of 4 km each and every day

I've downloaded the Walk Meter App which is free and helps me track my distance.

The IPhone tracking is not that accurate but it does record the individual steps.

So I am using both to keep tabs on my progress.

Do you have any New Year resolutions or goals?

My winter accessories

consist of 

a cashmere scarf and a vintage Coach bag.

Do you switch out your handbag often?

I am a creature of habit and frequently use one for years...

I  have other bags.

A straw bag for summer

a vintage wine coloured quilted bag

a travel bag

a small vintage black Coach bag for evening.

Hope that you are staying safe.

Our provincial doctor has just extended our Covid restrictions until February.

Our numbers of new cases continue to go up...

hundreds are in hospital with many in critical care.

I'm going to have to get creative to help pass the time.

Another month of not seeing my grandchildren and family is going to be difficult.

I walk with a friend each week but we stay a safe distance from each other.

How are you coping?

Thank you for popping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~ 

Five things Friday

Five things Friday

Gorgeous wee daffodils that were a gift

they are especially cheerful on these rainy grey days.

Colour and flowers can make a big impact in elevating our flagging spirits.

I know I seek out bright pops of colour at this time of year.

Shopping the trends...

I went to the mall to check out the newest straight cut jeans.

I tried on several pairs but don't think they flatter my short frame.

Too heavy and make my legs look like tree trunks!

I much prefer the skinny silhouette which I find makes me look taller and slimmer. I hope that they will continue to be available as mine are all several years old and will need to be replaced at some point.

I don't usually follow the trends as I prefer a classic look 

with a touch of vintage

like this Coach bag 

which has many miles on it and some signs of wear

but it ticks all the boxes for me.

Quality, versatility, classic style and streamlined shape.

Did I mention that Vintage is a big fashion focus in Paris?

OOTD 

Eileen Fisher dark denim jeans

Timberland Tobacco coloured short boots

Large square silk hand rolled scarf

in a leopard pattern

Found at a local thrift shop for under $10

Love a bargain and it is in mint condition.

Citrine earrings made by my darling daughter they pair well with the scarf.

Eileen Fisher black vest.

This weekend we have several casual events planned...

I will make every effort to add a pop of colour and a touch of vintage to my basic outfit.

Do you LOVE vintage?

What is your best thrift shop find?

My best "score" 

 a pair of arts and crafts bookends 

copper with sterling silver inlay birds

($7.99)

I sold them so I could buy a strand of baroque pearls. 

 I literally ran across the street to a dealer who specialized in arts and crafts items 

(He purchased the bookends for $500.00)

then I skipped happily back across the street to snap up the pearls.

Hope that you have a fabulous weekend.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~